Six Guarantees take back seat as Congress targets BRS in Jubilee Hills

Congress Ministers, including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, focused on rhetoric and attacks on BRS during the Jubilee Hills by-election, sidelining the Six Guarantees and key welfare promises that brought the party to power in Telangana two years ago.

Hyderabad: Ever since the notification was issued for the Jubilee Hills by-election, Congress Ministers have sidelined the implementation of the Six Guarantees and instead adopted rhetoric centred on criticising the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and raising non-issues to influence certain communities.

Almost the entire Cabinet, including Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, campaigned intensively in the constituency. Apart from roadshows, door-to-door campaigns and street-corner meetings, the Ministers carried out extensive electioneering.

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However, barring claims of free bus travel for women and the distribution of ration cards, the Ministers hardly spoke about the Six Guarantees. The Congress came to power in the State after assuring the Six Guarantees, yet even after two years in office many remain unfulfilled.

For instance, women were promised monthly assistance of Rs 2,500, senior citizens were assured a pension of Rs 4,000 and unemployed youth were promised a monthly allowance of Rs 4,000, among others. Not to mention the Warangal, Kamareddy, Minority and Chevella Declarations. The Ministers rarely spoke about these promises and assurances made to farmers, Muslims, BCs, SCs and STs under various declarations.

Instead, the party took up several non-issues to influence and win over different communities. More than the implementation of the Six Guarantees, the proposed installation of statues of former Chief Minister late N T Rama Rao and former CLP leader late P Janardhan Reddy took centre stage in their campaign.

The Chief Minister’s sudden fondness for the former CLP leader and his assurance to name the Borabanda crossroads after him surprised both residents and the Congress cadre. He also promised to personally unveil the statue of the former Chief Minister at Ameerpet.

Additionally, the Chief Minister’s meeting with Bollywood actor Salman Khan in Mumbai, the sudden induction of former cricketer Mohammed Azharuddin into the Cabinet, assurances to film workers and the increase in cinema ticket rates were pushed to the forefront and widely promoted by Congress leaders.

After trying these tactics, the Congress, including the Chief Minister, resorted to criticising the BRS and its leaders. At a press conference here on Friday, he even alleged that former Minister T Harish Rao was trying to take over the reins of the BRS.

The Congress and its social media units also made attempts to tarnish BRS candidate Maganti Sunitha’s marital relationship with her husband, late Maganti Gopinath.